Former sewage project insider speaks against treatment plan

I worked for four years on the Capital Region’s sewage treatment project, researching, talking to scientists and politicians, reading literature and translating engineering plans.

As an educated citizen, a homeowner in Saanich and someone no longer directly involved in the project, I want to voice my dissent for the current plan.

After looking at all of the information available, it became obvious to me that storm water is the major issue in danger of harming our oceans and streams, not sewage.

With proper education and source control by each resident, we can prevent medications, fats, oils and grease from entering our sewage system in the first place.

That leaves only the screened waste that comes from our bodies; the science demonstrates that this does no harm to Victoria’s unique, strong ocean current coast.

This treatment plan is a mistake.

We could put a fraction of the amount of money it will cost to implement this project, instead, toward source control efforts and toward storm water treatment projects such as rain gardens, rooftop gardens and enhancement of urban greenspace areas.

All such initiatives help prevent petroleum products, pesticides, metals and antifreeze from entering our creeks and coastlines.

The current treatment plan does not address storm water.

We could do this and still have mountains of cash left over for things we really need in this region, like light-rail transit and protection of forest lands.